sighc » SIGHCsurvey2008

SIGHC Survey Results

The SIGHC survey was held in May 2008. The results are in. A total of 63 people responded to the survey and we got some valuable feedback. Here are the responses.

Download a copy here:

SIGHC2008_SurveyResults.pdf

Demographics
Gender

	Frequency	Percent
Female	35	44.4
Male	28	55.6
Total	63	100.0

Age

	Frequency	Percent
21-30 years of age	4	6.3
31-40 years of age	14	22.2
41-50 years of age	21	33.3
51-60 years of age	17	27.0
61 years of age or older	6	9.5
decline to answer	1	1.6
total	63	100.0

Profession

	Frequency	Percent
Teacher - elementary	3	4.8
Teacher - secondary	3	4.8
Teacher/instructor - college or university	3	4.8
Professor	11	17.5
Researcher	2	3.2
Librarian/media specialist	2	3.2
Technology coordinator	22	34.9
Superintendent	1	1.6
Industry representative (not sales)	1	1.6
Government official	3	4.8
Other	12	19.0
Total	63	100.0

Continent

SIGHC Membership
We had a good mix of respondents here. The primary reason for joining SIGHC was, not surprisingly, interest in mobile computing.

SIGHC Membership (Length)

	Frequency	Percent
Less than one year	26	41.3
1-2 years	18	28.6
2 years or more	19	30.2
Total		100.0

Reason for Joining SIGHC

	Frequency	Percent
Interest in mobile	43	68.3
All-SIG member	19	30.2
Networking	12	19.0
Other	6	9.5
Total	63	100.0

NECC 2008

51% (30 out of 63) of respondents stated they are attending NECC, and if they are, they are also attending SIGHC events:
Events Attending

	Frequency	Percent
SIGHC picks	22	34.9
SIGHC forum	16	25.4
SIGHC business meeting	7	11.1

Member Satisfaction
Overall satisfaction with SIGHC

	Frequency	Percent
Excellent	6	9.5
Good	33	52.4
Neutral	11	17.5
Fair	1	1.6
Don't know	10	15.9
Decline to answer	1	1.6
Total (1 missing)	62	98.4

What SIGHC tools have you used: Listserv

	Frequency	Percent
Newsletter	49	77.8
Website	23	36.5
Listserv	19	30.2
Wiki	11	17.5

Favorite communication tool

	Frequency	Percent
Newsletter	36	57.1
Website	10	15.9
Listserv	7	11.1
Wiki	7	11.1
Total (3 missing)	60	95.2

Contributed to:

	Frequency	Percent
Listserv	12	19.0
Newsletter	11	17.5
Website	6	9.5
Wiki	5	7.9

What SIGHC does well:

Communication. This was mentioned most often (33 times), with the newsletter being mentioned 9 times!
Other things that were mentioned:
- “Disseminate valuable information surrounding mobile computing applications in education.”
- “… beginning to model the use of web 2.0 tools...”
- “Has helped build an international community of handheld users.”
- “great NECC meetings”
- “Support their members with their interests”
- “Relaying to members news of upcoming handheld conferences.”
- “While I've just discovered SIGHC only a few weeks ago, I'm very impressed at the level of content provided for teachers to learn about integrating technology into the curriculum. Especially helpful is having the actual files to read from presentations and links to great sites I would have never known about.“

What SIGHC needs to improve on
The answers are more diverse here, and include suggestions like

more information about current trends and practices
doing more member networking
having events outside of NECC
yearly communications that embrace more research
international collaboration/ research contacts for collaboration/ research funding opportunities/ new findings in HC
“...one thing would be getting more people involved, but it is a catch 22 because we are so busy....”

What SIGHC needs to do more of:
Again, a wide variety of answers:

more activities during the year
more opportunities for networking
Newsletter: “include a monthly member bio. Some if the peripheral members may not feel they have an article to write for SIGHC but writing about them and how they use handhelds might make an interesting article to read.”
“Perhaps all correspondence could be distributed from the wiki...such as the newsletter etc...rather than emailing the PDF file just send the link.”
“Members could make links to exciting projects in their districts from member pages on the wiki.”
Provide opportunities for regional or local professional development, e.g. “Sponsor regional symposiums on mobile computing, possibly working with a regional or state-wide organization such as PACET in Pennsylvania.”
Larger presence at NECC
Providing info to put on mobile devices.
Discuss technology for adult education
more communication about current research
“provide resources or ideas for teachers to acquire the hardware/software (materials) needed to implement some of the great ideas and opportunities the technology affords.”
“Have Web seminar free for members or a low price and open to graduate students.”

As of October of this year, SIGHC will be 3 years old. As a special interest group we are doing a pretty good job, but there is a lot of room for improvement. We should be able to provide most of the things that members are requesting, but we can only do so if we get more members to jump in and help out.